Bees v. Wasps

Although most people know bees and wasps are not the same, these two insects are often grouped due to their ability to sting. However, wasps tend to be more aggressive than bees and can sting multiple times, whereas bees will die after a sting. Although they may share similar coloring, these insect species are significantly different physically and in their characteristics at a closer look. Here are a few significant differences between the bees and wasps.

The Aggression of Bees v. Wasps

The level of aggression between bees and wasps is one worth noting. Bees are substantially less aggressive than wasps. Wasps tend to sting more often, which may be because they do not die after one sting. Bees and wasps will sting to protect the colony or to defend itself.

Once they lose their stinger, bees are injured and die from this injury. The bee stinger is rough, which results in the stinger staying. Once it is out of the bee, it can’t recover. Wasps are more easily triggered to aggression and use the stinger to kill prey. The wasp stinger is smooth and will slip out and then sting multiple times. Wasps can release hormones when threatened that, in a sense, leave you as a marked target for others in the swarm to attack.

Diet of Bees v. Wasps

Bees are our friends, the pollinators. Bees prefer a vegetarian diet, using flowers and water to survive and take care of the precious hive. Bees do not kill other insects. Wasps are more of a predator and will hunt and kill both flies and caterpillars for food (as you will read later, this is helpful to crops). Wasps do partake in the sweet nectar of flowers. Wasp’s olfactory senses pick up on sugary foods and drinks, and that’s why you find them near trashcans where a snow cone has been thrown out at a picnic!

HomeLife of Bees v. Wasps

Wasps also live in large colonies but are much less crowded, with more like 10,000 wasps. Wasps cannot produce wax, so wasp nests are more paper based, using regurgitated wood and mud. Some wasps prefer to live alone and make their own nest and live quite happily. Wasp nests may also have more than one queen, and the colony’s size is often determined by how many female workers there are – get ’em, ladies!

Bees love the social aspect of their jobs and life. Bee nests may have more than 70,000 bees with one queen in the colony. There are more than 20,000 species of bees, and whether they build and reside in a nest or hive, these social insects spend lots of time together. Bees also have a wax gland that creates the honeycomb. The hexagon matrix of cells is where bees can store the honey and pollen so the larvae can grow up and be active members of the bee home.

Since both bees and wasps can hibernate, the queens survive multiple years – although not all the workers do.

The Making of a Queen

Bees do significantly better than wasps by making delicious and edible foods* for mammals! The honey and honeycombs are the most well-known bee product line, but there is more. Bees also produce a royal jelly high in protein and carbs that the larvae and the queen eat. Fun fact: queens can’t become queens without being served the royal jelly.

*To the wasps’ credit, they produce honey to feed the larvae, but much less is produced.

The Body of Bees v. Wasps

Bee bodies, especially up close in a photograph, appear plump and fluffy, making them almost (and I mean ALMOST) huggable. Wasps have a sleeker body with smooth legs, while bees have wide and hairy legs.

It almost feels like I am comparing people, one being short and furry while the other struts the hive runway with smooth and sleek looks!

The Importance of Bees v. Wasps

Here is the short answer. Both insect species are essential to our flowers and crops. The power pollinators are relevant and critical to healthy harvest and a crucial part of the global food supply. It may seem like a bit of an overstatement, but it is not. Wasps do the added dirty work of getting rid of crop pests, acting like a crop bouncer.

Due to the critical nature of these insects staying healthy, do your part when doing pest control around your home. Using pesticides is dangerous and disrupts the ecosystem. If you do use pesticides, please read the instructions carefully and use them in moderation because if you use pesticides on a flowering plant, you can kill an entire hive. It is always best to contact a professional bee remover with the knowledge and experience to remove your pest problem without eliminating the bees and wasps altogether.